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6 clusters · 32 sources · 44 days · First seen about 2 months ago · Last updated 8 days ago

Slovenian education system reform

Overview

Slovenian Minister of Education, Science and Youth Borut Rončević has announced a comprehensive reform of the national education system following PISA 2025 results that indicated a significant decline in literacy levels, a trend Rončević described as “catastrophic.” A central element of the reform is the transition from a nine-year primary school model to an eight-year system, projected to begin in the 2028/29 school year. This plan includes converting the current first grade into a mandatory kindergarten period to provide earlier literacy support. Recent public opinion polling by the Parsifal agency shows significant support for the transition to an eight-year system, with 45.9% of respondents in favor and 28.8% opposed. Among parents of primary school students, support is higher at 51.1%, while education professionals show a narrower margin of 39% in favor versus 36% in opposition. To guide the reforms, the Ministry established a 26-member Expert Council coordinated by State Secretary Mojca Škrinjar. This appointment has sparked controversy; Branimir Štrukelj of the teacher unions criticized the selection as the “pinnacle of political arrogance,” citing the exclusion of pedagogical faculties and the SVIZ. As the reform progresses, the Ministry is drafting legislation to establish a teacher assembly aimed at strengthening professional standards and autonomy. While Minister Rončević frames the assembly as a vital step for the profession, the Slovenian Education, Science and Culture Union (SVIZ) has criticized the move as an “arrogant political maneuver” intended to create a false impression of consensus for the broader reforms. In a second consultation regarding the reform, the Ministry focused on assessment methods and the role of the matura exam. Participants reached a consensus that descriptive assessment for first and second-grade students is inappropriate, calling for new evaluation methods for these age groups. Discussions emphasized moving toward continuous assessment to discourage “campaign-style” learning.

Entities

Ministry of Education, Science and Youth · Borut Rončević · Slovenia · Mojca Škrinjar · Branimir Štrukelj

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 12 SOURCES] The PISA 2025 results showed a significant decline in the knowledge levels of Slovenian 15-year-olds.
[● 11 SOURCES] Slovenian Minister of Education Borut Rončević described the current state of education as very bad and the trend as catastrophic.
[● 11 SOURCES] Slovenia plans to abolish the nine-year primary school model in favor of a reformed eight-year model.
[● 7 SOURCES] Under the proposed reform, the current first grade of primary school would become a mandatory kindergarten.
[● 7 SOURCES] The reform includes updating curricula, reforming national testing and the matura, and strengthening teacher authority.
[● 7 SOURCES] A strategic council will be established by the end of September to prepare for the reform.

Timeline

8 days ago

[POLITICS] 2 sources
Slovenia Ministry of Education proposes new teacher assembly
Slovenia's Ministry of Education is drafting a law to create a teacher assembly, potentially with mandatory membership, sparking criticism from existing teacher unions.
8 days ago

[POLITICS] 6 sources
Slovenian Ministry discusses school reform and assessment methods
Slovenian education officials held consultations on school reform, seeking to replace descriptive grading for young students and move toward continuous assessment rather than exam-focused learning.
29 days ago

[POLITICS] 4 sources
Slovenia education ministry sparks controversy over new reform council
Slovenia's Ministry of Education faces criticism over the appointment of a new 26-member expert council for school reform, which excludes major teacher unions and pedagogical faculties.
about 1 month ago

[POLITICS] 3 sources
Slovenia proposes education reform to restructure school governing councils
The Slovenian government has proposed reforms to school and kindergarten governing councils, aiming to rebalance representation between employees, parents, and founders to improve local accountability.
about 1 month ago

[POLITICS] 4 sources
Slovenia education reform: Poll shows support for eight-year primary school
A survey by Slovenia's Ministry of Education shows 45.9% of citizens support transitioning to an eight-year primary school system, with 51.1% of parents in favor.
about 2 months ago

[CULTURE] 18 sources
Slovenia to reform primary education following PISA decline
Slovenia will replace its nine-year primary school model with an eight-year system starting in 2028/2029 following a significant decline in PISA 2025 test scores.

Sources

24ur.com · aktuelno.me · cekin.si · cetinjskilist.com · delo.si · ekodezela.si · fiuman.hr · gorenjskiglas.si · hlavnespravy.sk · inmedia.ba · koroskenovice.si · mladina.si · mojadijaspora.com · n1info.si · nova24tv.si · obalaplus.si · obecne-noviny.sk · oslobodjenje.ba · radiobrcko.ba · radiotitograd.me · seredonline.sk · shkodraweb.com · siol.net · slovenskenovice.si · spravy.pravda.sk · tetovasot.com · times.si · tvsa.ba · vecernji.ba · wykop.pl · zadarskilist.hr · zive.aktuality.sk

This summary has been updated 9 times: see revision history